


Got A Secret, Can You Keep It

by inhystereks



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe, Derek Hale Loves Stiles Stilinski, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Original Character(s), POV Multiple, Sheriff Stilinski Finds Out, Stiles Stilinski Loves Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 16:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15953549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inhystereks/pseuds/inhystereks
Summary: Tara couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing, until Stiles slid his basket of fries sideways and gestured that Derek could take one if he wanted to.Her jaw dropped.They were dating!OR five times the deputies caught Stiles and Derek together, and one time they tried to keep the Sheriff from finding out when he already knew.





	Got A Secret, Can You Keep It

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, all! This was something that's been rattling around in my head for a while that I finally finished. Hope you like it!

A cheeseburger.

Meaty goodness grilled to perfection with melted cheese and crispy bacon.

That was all she wanted. Some greasy satisfaction, between two buns, to get her through the rest of the day. It was perfect timing, since the Sheriff was out on call and wouldn’t be eyeing her with envy. Just a quick in and out at the diner. Totally ordinary. 

Then again, maybe not.

She just happened to look over, maybe tuning into his familiar voice. There Stiles was.

With Derek Hale.

In a booth. 

On the same side.

It was a startling sight. Even more so because they were acting exactly as she would expect them to if she had seen them in other circumstances.

Stiles was shoveling curly fries in his mouth like they were the only nourishment he’d had in months, all the while talking animatedly and gesturing wildly. Occasionally, in a minimal effort to avoid choking, he would fumble around with the straw in his milkshake until he managed to get it in his mouth and suck so strongly his cheeks hollowed. Meanwhile, Derek was next to him, blank-faced and silent, steadily sipping on what appeared to be a soda. Once in a while, he would mutter something that either caused Stiles to flail or go completely still for a moment before nearly killing himself with laughter. He would always side-eye Stiles when he drank his milkshake, but with something in his expression that told Tara he wasn’t watching with disgust.

Tara couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing, until Stiles slid his basket of fries sideways and gestured that Derek could take one if he wanted to.

Her jaw dropped.

They were dating!

It might seem like a leap, but Stiles Stilinski did not share his curly fries. He didn’t even share with Scott. He only begrudgingly shared them with his father, before he put the junk food moratorium in place.

If he was offering his fries to Derek Hale, he was head over heels in love.

Derek studied the fries for a moment before popping one into his mouth. He picked up another and offered it to Stiles, who leaned forward and ate it.

Tara did not need to see the way Stiles looked up from beneath his eyelashes while his mouth lingered on Derek Hale’s fingers, okay.

She. Did not. Need. To see it. Okay?

Okay.

In line with that thinking, she decided to keep her eyes to herself and her mouth shut. She was sure the Sheriff didn’t know about this, but she sure wasn’t going to say a damn word. He deserved to hear it from Stiles, and it wasn’t her business anyway.

Tara grabbed her order and left.

Derek Hale and Stiles Stilinski.

Who would’ve thought?

-

Stiles loved book day.

Derek claimed that he hated it. That it was in a shady part of town. (As if he hadn’t lived in abandoned places for the first two years Stiles knew him.) That the dust from the used book store they frequented bothered his sensitive nose. (He’d never so much as sniffled, because he didn’t need to, and he had too much dignity to fake it.) That Stiles got unreasonably excited about new books. (There may have been an incident or two with shelves having been knocked over. Stiles admitted nothing.) That the cashiers didn’t like him. (They both knew damn well the cashiers followed Derek around because they thought he was hot.)

He claimed he hated it.

But Stiles knew Derek loved book day as much as he did.

Disappearing between the pages of a book was one of the best ways to take a break from reality for a bit. Their reality was admittedly a hell of a lot better since they’d purified that damn demon tree and gotten their heads out of their own asses and into each other’s.

Stiles’ brain skidded sideways into human centipede territory, and he had to physically shake his thoughts away.

The point was, he and Derek were in a better place now. Derek still scoffed at how many fantasy novels Stiles read, but Stiles maintained that you never knew when something might be useful.

(The day something came in handy, and he was sure it would, he would never let Derek live it down.)

Stiles wandered over to the poetry section, where he suspected his boyfriend would be. He found him, leaning against a shelf, the open book in his hands absorbing all of his attention.

Stiles studied him. Noted the little furrow between his brows as his eyes moved across the page. His head tilted, furrow growing deeper for a moment, before his eyebrows arched slightly in understanding. A small smile curled the corner of his mouth. His eyes lit up as he discovered some secret meaning in the words he was reading. 

Stiles _loved_ book day.

Derek flipped a page.

“You’re staring.”

“Damn straight,” Stiles replied without missing a beat. “I should and will take advantage of every moment I get to spend looking at your beautiful face.”

Derek huffed and rolled his eyes, but Stiles noticed his ears turned red, so he assumed Derek was pleased and embarrassed in equal measure.

“Did you know your eyes light up when you read a poem you really like?” Stiles asked. “It’s so cute.”

“You’re exaggerating,” Derek said, closing the book and setting it on the top of a stack near his feet.

“I’m not. Obviously you’ve never seen yourself do it.”

Derek leveled him with a look. “Did you know you always bite your thumb when something suspenseful is happening in a book you’re reading. It’s so adorable,” he drawled.

“Lies and slander!” Stiles exclaimed, wondering if that was actually something he did.

“Keep your voice down,” Derek said with a slight smile. 

Stiles shrugged, but did speak a little more quietly. “We’re not in a library.” 

“And you don’t have the same instincts to be quiet when surrounded by books that most people have,” Derek said.

“I don’t have a lot of the instincts that most people have,” Stiles said with a reckless grin.

Derek’s hand snapped out in an instant, grasping Stiles’s wrist and dragging him close before Stiles could think. Pressed up against his boyfriend, faces close, his breath caught in his throat at the split-second flash of crimson. Derek tilted his head to press his mouth against Stiles’ throat. Stiles tilted his head to give him more access.

“Thank god for that,” Derek breathed, fangs brushing against sensitive skin.

Stiles shuddered and wondered if they were going to make out up against the shelves again. Last time one of the cashiers had caught them and nearly had a nosebleed.

They jerked apart at the distinct sound of a stack of books being knocked over.

And who else would be at the end of the aisle, but one of his father’s deputies?

Stiles cursed in his mind. He’d spotted Tara at the diner a couple weeks ago. He was sure she’d already seen them by the time he’d noticed her, because she was very purposely not looking in their direction. At least this was one of the rookies who seemed pretty nice. Stiles had to decide how to play this.

He didn’t step away from Derek, or make it seem like what they were doing was weird in any way. She was pretty new, to town and the station, so he didn’t know how aware she was of things that had happened before she got there.

“Hey, Chelsea,” he said with a smile.

“Hey, Stiles,” she stammered. She managed a grin and a wave before hightailing it out of there.

Stiles sighed and took out his phone to text Tara.

_Chelsea just saw me and Derek. Can you make sure she doesn’t mention it to my dad?_

**Only because you should be the one to tell your dad.**

_I’m working on it. And thanks._

When he turned his attention to Derek, the man was watching him, silently asking if there was going to be a problem.

“We’re good,” he said. He leaned forward to give Derek a light peck, which helped them both relax a little bit more. “Did she leave?”

Derek tilted his head, nostrils flaring as he tried to capture the scent and see if it was still strong enough in the store for it to mean she was still there. But he didn’t know her well and she’d only been there for a moment.

“I’m not sure,” he finally said.

Stiles shook his head. “It doesn’t really matter. Nothing and no one will get in the way of book day.”

Derek laughed a little. He pulled Stiles close and kissed him. Stiles tried not to smile too much and ruin it.

Looked like he would be getting that makeout in the aisles after all.

-

Makeout Point on a Friday night wasn't the most desirable of patrolling jobs. 

“Someone has to do it,” Vasquez said practically.

“Yeah, but can't it be the young ones? Aren't they more likely to know the people they're breaking up?” Carter whined.

“Oh, because it’s less awkward to cockblock someone you know personally?” Vasquez queried with a quirked brow. 

“Point,” Carter sighed.

They would have cruised right past the barely-there dirt road. The car there was well-camouflaged. But Vasquez had the windows down and they heard what might be a growl. Everyone was still on alert from those mountain lion attacks a while ago.

Vasquez braked carefully and shone a light into the trees. Which was when they realized the car was very familiar.

“ _Okay_. Get it, Stiles,” Carter said.

Vasquez rolled her eyes. By the time they approached the car, the doors were already opening. Usually, they had to knock on fogged windows and wait for several minutes for the occupants to be presentable.

Stiles scrambled out and at least his pants were zipped properly and his shoes were on, but his hair was a mess, his lips kiss-swollen, and his shirt buttoned wrong. His companion came around the other side of the Jeep and they couldn’t have been more stunned.

Derek Hale.

He didn’t look as rumpled as Stiles. His hair was a bit ruffled, but his mouth wasn’t particularly puffy and his t-shirt wasn’t very wrinkled, though the button on his jeans was undone. 

Vasquez and Carter looked between them and drew a lot of conclusions very quickly.

“Victor! Cassie! How lovely to see you two on such a fine evening!” Stiles exclaimed.

“Stiles,” Vasquez nodded, a tad bit amused by his antics despite herself. As usual.

“Hale,” Carter said flatly, glaring at the other man.

Derek returned his gaze steadily, neither blinking nor flinching.

“So,” Stiles said, clapping his hands together. “In the interest of the least amount of paperwork and lecturing for everyone involved, why don’t we all just acknowledge that this has the potential to get exponentially more awkward and headache-inducing and just agree to pretend it never happened while we all go our separate ways. How about it, huh?”

Vasquez glanced over at Carter, but he was still too busy being locked into a staring contest with Derek. Which she was pretty sure he was going to lose terribly because Derek looked totally chill with not having blinked yet, while Carter’s eyes were starting to water.

“How about Derek comes with us for a while, and you can go home,” Vasquez said gently.

Stiles huffed a little and offered up a resigned smile. “If it’s that serious, we can both go with you.”

Carter scoffed. “I think you know we’re not going to let you stay around the likes of _him_.”

Stiles’s expression switched from complaisant to hostile in a second.

“What is _that_ supposed to mean?” he snapped.

“It means there’s no way we’re going to leave you with someone who’s going to take advantage of you,” Carter snapped back, finally looking away from Derek.

Vasquez was looking at Derek though, and saw the way he flinched back.

“Fuck you,” Stiles spat. Her gaze snapped back to Stiles. Carter’s mouth fell open a bit in shock. They were both surprised at the pure venom in his voice. The fury in his expression matched his tone. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Vasquez opened his mouth to make a comment, but Stiles had already turned to Derek. Who looked sick and absolutely disgusted. With himself, Vasquez realized. The expression disappeared as Derek quickly hid his emotions behind a blank mask.

“I think I should go with them,” Derek said quietly. “And you should go home.”

“Not until you promise to come find me within the next 24 hours,” Stiles demanded. His voice was no less intense, but desperation had replaced anger.

Derek’s expression didn’t change, but his shoulders slumped. “I don’t think…”

“No,” Stiles growled fiercely enough to make the officers jump a little. He yanked Derek around to face him. “Promise me or I will get my bat from the trunk and break one of the windows on the squad car so they have to arrest me too, and we will have this conversation for the millionth time while we’re both behind bars. I swear to god, Derek.”

Vasquez and Carter traded glances, realizing for the first time that they might have gotten the power dynamics of this relationship just a bit wrong.

“Okay,” Derek said quietly after several moments.

Stiles pulled hard on his shirt. “Promise,” he commanded.

“I promise,” Derek huffed, finally making eye contact with the teen. The moment their eyes locked, Stiles relaxed.

Then he turned a glare on Vasquez and Carter. “If you hurt him, I’ll make dad invite you over for dinner and then poison your food.”

Their jaws dropped. 

“Stiles!” Derek exclaimed.

“What?” the teen shrugged, “I won’t poison them _to death_. Just enough for them to get a little sick.”

Like that made it better.

There was a moment of silence before Carter burst into laughter.

“You know what?” Carter said through chuckles, “Just take your boyfriend home, Stiles.”

Derek turned to him with surprise, Stiles with suspicion. “Really?” they asked in unison, tones matching their expressions.

“Yes, really,” Vasquez agreed, “Anything to keep from getting poisoned.”

“Great,” Stiles said with a bright grin. “C’mon Derek.”

The older man allowed Stiles to push him in a direction to round the car and get in the passenger seat. He gave the officers a last confused glance as he passed them.

Stiles paused before getting into the driver’s seat. “I kind of want to tell my dad myself,” he said.

“Understood,” Carter said after a moment.

“Though you should probably stop making out in public places, if that’s the case,” Vasquez said dryly.

“Yes, officer. We’ll only make out in private places from now on,” Stiles replied with a cheeky smile.

“Stop baiting the officers before they change their mind,” Derek said.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yes, dear,” he said as he climbed in the driver’s seat. After starting the car, he gave them a jaunty wave as he peeled away.

Carter and Vasquez shared another look and shook their heads.

They wished Derek all the luck. He would definitely need it.

As they walked back to their own car, Vasquez chuckled a little. Carter gave her a quizzical glance.

“The young ones are more likely to catch someone they know, huh?” she asked.

Carter burst into laughter again.

-

Derek didn’t necessarily like clubs, but he definitely liked watching Stiles have fun in clubs. 

He loved when his boyfriend managed to just let go and enjoy dancing his heart out. Laughing and tossing back drinks and just having a great time. Every so often Stiles would come back around and check up on Derek, making sure he didn’t need anything, asking whether Derek wanted to leave yet.

Derek always based his responses on whether or not he felt like Stiles was ready to go. He was usually content to stay as long as Stiles was having fun.

Usually.

“You’ve been watching that little twink for a while now,” a man said, leaning into his space. “Bet I could show you a better time than he could.”

Derek’s sense of smell was awash with the scent of alcohol for a moment. He leaned away from the stranger.

“I’ve been watching my boyfriend,” he said through gritted teeth.

The man swayed from side to side as it took him an inordinately long time to understand what Derek was saying. 

“Point stands,” he slurred, “I could make you see god. Can your little boyfriend do that?”

He leaned closer, ignoring that Derek was trying to lean further away, and placed a hand on Derek’s thigh.

Derek hated it when things like this happened. He hated that he couldn’t react properly because too many instincts were pulling him in different directions. He wanted to snarl a few blistering words in the man’s direction so he would take his hand off Derek’s thigh. He wanted to snarl with his wolf teeth and flash his Alpha eyes so the man would take his hand off Derek’s thigh. He wanted to run and find Stiles, because he always felt safe when he was with his boyfriend, and Stiles would never put his hands where Derek didn’t want them. But he couldn’t attack the man and there were too many people for him to easily find Stiles and he was too upset to think of a suitably scathing rejection.

He finally managed to moderate his strength so that he could push the man back without sending him flying. “Not interested,” he said firmly.

“Oh, come on, big man like you, I know you’re wanting to shove your cock in a nice warm hole,” the man slurred. He moved closer again, this time sliding his hand up Derek’s thigh toward his crotch, and Derek was too shocked and disgusted and furious to do anything that wouldn’t possibly result in the man’s death.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” a low voice growled.

‘ _Stiles_ ,’ Derek thought with relief. Immediately the man’s hand was ripped away from him and Derek could only see Stiles’ back as he stood protectively in front of him.

“Did you just put your hands on my boyfriend?” Stiles growled. He almost sounded like a wolf.

“He wanted it,” the man slurred.

Derek’s eyebrows shot up. Because Stiles wouldn’t kill someone for no reason, but he would certainly kill someone for touching Derek against his will and then accusing Derek of wanting it. He reached out, but Stiles took a few quick steps forward before Derek could grab him, his reflexes still off from how he’d dimmed them so he wouldn’t hurt the asshole harassing him. 

“I’m gonna call bullshit on that since I fucking heard him tell you he wasn’t interested, you fucker. Get the fuck away from us before I beat your ass into the ground,” Stiles said. He sounded fully capable and people around them were noticing that something might turn into a fight. Cell phones were being pulled out and turned in their direction.

The man was clearly the type of drunk to be bolstered by an audience and pulled himself up to his full height, which was a bit taller than Stiles. “Look at the little twink acting all big and bad. I must have been wrong about how me and Pretty Boy over there would spend the night. Clearly I would be reaming his ass all night long and he’d be screaming my name over and over.” The man smirked, clearly ready to provoke Stiles into a fight he thought he could win. “Whether he liked it or not.”

Derek recognized the way Stiles shoulders straightened, the way his head tilted, and he knew Stiles was smirking in the way he did when someone had underestimated him and was probably going to die because of it. 

He shot to his feet. “Stiles, don’t-!”

But again he was too slow and Stiles tackled the man to the ground, beating the shit out of him.

Of course the police were called and of course the deputies recognized their boss’s son.

It was kind of an open secret among them at this point that Stiles and Derek were dating. So they weren’t surprised when they saw who was involved in the fight. They were surprised when they learned what the fight was about though and who had been the principal attacker.

“He just attacked me. Couldn’t handle the fact that his boyfriend wanted someone else,” the man sneered drunkenly.

“Bull-fucking-shit. He said he wasn’t interested and you touched him anyway,” Stiles yelled. He moved towards the man, but Derek yanked him back.

“He wanted me to touch him. Been staring at me all night giving me ‘come fuck me’ eyes. He was just playing hard to get with that not interested nonsense. I had every right to get a feel of the dick I was going to be using later.”

Lewis and Chaney looked good and goddamned ready to shoot the man where he stood. No wonder Stiles had mauled him. They wished they’d gotten there a few minutes later so Stiles would have had more time to truly make him hurt.

Stiles flew at the man and the only reason he didn’t attack again was because Derek wrapped his arms around his waist and held him back.

“He is not just a dick, he is a human being with feelings! And you don’t touch someone without their consent! If he doesn’t want you to touch him, you don’t fucking touch him. If he says not interested, he’s not fucking interested. You’re not entitled to his body just because he gives you a hard-on, you sorry sack of shit. And if you ever treat someone like that again, I will end you. I will kick you so hard where the sun don’t shine that you vomit up your marble-sized balls! I will -” 

The rest of what he would do was muffled, because Derek placed a hand over his mouth. He held Stiles close, not letting him move, whispering in his ear. Stiles gradually calmed down, though he continued to glare at the drunk asshole, his amber eyes blazing with righteous fury.

Lewis decided to cuff the guy and get him to the squad car before he said some more stupid shit and Derek decided to let Stiles go so he could finish the job. Chaney took a couple witness statements and had people email some videos to his work account. He radioed Lewis that he would be out in a moment, since his partner couldn’t leave the asshat in the car alone.

He turned to Stiles with a wry grin. “So you were serious about poisoning Vasquez and Carter.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow. “Anyone who messes with Derek gets what they deserve,” he said unapologetically.

Derek sighed. “Maybe don’t admit to a police officer that you don’t have a problem hurting people for me.”

“It’s not like he doesn’t already know,” Stiles said with a careless shrug.

“I do have some pretty drunk evidence in my car right now,” Chaney chuckled.

Derek offered a slight smile before turning his attention to Stiles.

“C’mon, Bruiser, let’s get you home and ice those knuckles,” he said, gently herding his boyfriend to the club entrance. Stiles waved at Chaney, and Derek gave him a thankful nod as they left.

Chaney watched them go with a smile. He knew the Sheriff would probably find out sooner rather than later, because those two were definitely going to make it. 

-

Seth hated grocery shopping. It always seemed to take too long. Comparing prices and brands always made him feel like he was getting the wrong thing. He could never find what he was looking for, even when he was standing right next to it in whatever aisle he was in. And there was always one thing he didn’t remember he needed until he got home. Usually whatever he’d gone to the store to pick up in the first place.

But today would not get the best of him. The only thing he needed was milk. It was one of his staples, so he knew which brand to get, and exactly where it was in the store.

Today’s grocery trip would be successful!

Seth heard a familiar voice lecturing about the importance of vegetables. He smiled for a moment, thinking he would get the chance to say hello to his boss and his son, before getting his milk and going home. 

Glancing into aisles as he walked past, he finally found the one Stiles was in. And immediately stopped dead because it wasn’t his father he was lecturing.

It was Derek Hale.

The rumors were actually true!

His co-workers had been muttering about Stiles’s relationship with Derek for a few months now. But it was so ridiculous he hadn’t believed it. He thought they’d been so careful not to let the Sheriff catch on because they didn’t want him finding out they were spreading such patently untruthful gossip about his son.

But no, Stiles and Derek really were a couple. He couldn’t have been more sure if they were standing in front of him with their tongues down each other’s throats.

It was in the way Derek patiently listened to a lecture he had to have heard a million times before. It was in the way Stiles finished his rant and promptly tucked himself into Derek’s side, satisfied that he’d gotten his point across. It was in the way Derek pressed a kiss to his forehead and let his lips linger for a moment. It was in the way Stiles tilted his head back to smile up at him, and in the way Derek returned it with no hesitation and just as much happiness.

Seth felt a warm little glow in his chest just from watching how in love they were with each other.

He backed away slowly, hoping his movement wouldn’t catch Stiles’s eye. He didn’t want to interrupt the intimate moment they were having. With a small smile, he turned and left.

He made it all the way home before realizing he’d forgotten to buy milk.

“Damn it!”

-

John surveyed his surroundings with a satisfied smile. The annual police department sponsored block party was going even better than it usually did. He was happy Stiles had convinced him to let the Pack help. Everyone was having fun, and he could see the celebration lasting well into the night.

John spotted his son several feet away, flirting shamelessly with his boyfriend. He rolled his eyes and moved a bit closer to tell Stiles to go make sure some of the booths that had opened earlier still had enough supplies. Before he could get too close, Chelsea Mackel appeared and tugged Stiles away from Derek a bit.

John stopped and frowned, wondering why one of his newer deputies appeared to be scolding his son. Chelsea gestured in his direction, and Stiles glanced over with a slightly confused expression before understanding dawned and a devious smile appeared.

Before he could say anything, though, Derek stepped forward. Whatever he said made Chelsea look over at John. She seemed surprised that they were already the subject of his attention.

John raised an eyebrow at them, and Stiles waved him over.

“Everything okay over here?” John asked when he reached them.

“Chelsea here was just warning Derek and I to be careful about being so lovey-dovey when you were so close by,” Stiles said, clearly very amused.

John blinked and looked to Chelsea for an explanation. 

She cleared her throat. “Um, I wasn’t aware that you were aware of their relationship. Sir.”

John looked from Chelsea to Stiles, who was obviously trying to hold back laughter, and Derek, who looked both amused and embarrassed.

“Well, Chelsea, I’m sure my son appreciates your attempt to protect his privacy, but he has informed me about his relationship with Derek. No need to worry,” John said.

Chelsea was bright red by this point. “Of course, sir,” she muttered before practically sprinting away.

Stiles at least waited until she was gone to start laughing.

Derek and John shared fondly exasperated looks.

“Why did you stop me from going with it?” he asked Derek. “She’s probably going to let other people know Dad knows.”

“Because they might not keep secrets for you anymore if you fuck with them like that,” Derek said mildly. “And because I don’t want to deal with people trying to separate us all day.”

“Valid,” Stiles said through the rest of his chuckles. “You’re so smart, Der. I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”

Derek smiled down at the ground while Stiles beamed at him. John cleared his throat.

“Exactly how many of my officers knew you and Derek were dating and were making sure I didn’t find out?” he asked.

Stiles and Derek froze.

“No idea, Dad,” Stiles said breezily, “Guess we’ll never know. See you later, have fun!”

He grabbed Derek and they made a quick exit.

Until the news had spread through the ranks that John was both aware of his son’s relationship status and exactly who his partner was, he had to deal with several of his deputies trying to distract or redirect him away from the couple. He could see Derek and Stiles having to deal with the same treatment from afar.

By mid-afternoon everyone knew he knew and there were sheepish smiles and shrugs all around.

“You’ve really got them wrapped around your finger, kid,” John said, shaking his head.

“It’s as much you as me, Pops. They didn’t want you to be hurt if you found out any other way besides me telling you,” Stiles said.

John smiled at that. It was nice to know his officers were so concerned for him and his family. He could see how many of them were relieved he knew and didn’t object to the relationship. And he truly didn’t. Stiles’ happiness was all that mattered.

He watched his son throw his head back laughing in reaction to something Derek had said. He watched the way Derek drank in the sound like it was all he needed to survive.

They were both happy. And as he leaned back in his lawn chair, his son’s laughter in his ears and the sounds of celebration for the sake of it all around him, John was too.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm trying to clear out my bunny folder so hopefully I'll post again soon. Kudos, comment, check out my other stories, if you are so inclined. Until next time! - xoxo, inhystereks


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